Book Galleys: How To Make The Most Of Them

What is a book galley and how do you make use of them? After all, you just spent weeks, if not months, crafting your book, editing, and preparing to self-publish on Amazon. You’re ready to hold your final book in your hands, not a book galley!

Hold up for just one moment. Before you skip over your galley, it’s important to understand just how much of a role galleys can play in helping you ensure you upload only the best book to Amazon.

Your launch team will thank you too. So, what is a galley and how can you use it to help you become a self-publishing success story?

Book galley: what’s covered 

• What is a book galley?
• Why is it called a galley?
• What is galley proof in printing?
• What does a book galley look like?
• What is the difference between an ARC and a galley?
• What is the difference between a book proof and galley?
• How can an author use their galley well?

What is a book galley?

When it comes to books, a galley is an advanced copy of your book that you can use for a plethora of purposes such as: send to your early readers, endorsers, use for promotional purposes, and read through to find those sneaky typos. 

Also known as uncorrected proofs, your galley plays an important role in the ultimate success of your book. Think of it this way. Just how many unread emails do you have in your inbox right now? Now, how many packages of books do you have at your door, sent to you by an excited author? 

If you’re anything like me, you’re much more likely to read a book an author sends you rather than try to read a PDF or Word document version sent via email.

A book galley is an advanced copy (not an advanced reader copy, also called an ARC, more on this later), that helps set you up for publishing success. 

Why is it called a galley?

Book galleys came by their name through the way in which they first originated. In the early days of printing presses, people used hand-set, letterpress printing. Each page was set into a metal tray in order to hold the type steady. These trays were called galleys. 

After being set in these trays, or galleys, a small proof press was used to print a limited number of copies for proofreading. The name obviously stuck, and today, while we no longer use this format of printing, we still print a limited number of copies for proofing. 

What is galley proof in printing?

A galley proof in printing is another name for a book galley and targets the same people in the book’s journey. Just as a book galley is an often roughly created version that only reflects the final version through the text on the page, a galley proof does the same.

A galley proof can be extremely beneficial to editors and authors, as it presents the text in a format both editors and authors aren’t accustomed to. 

Many editors work with manuscripts digitally on a laptop or desktop, making changes and moving from one digital page to the next. 

However, many books are ultimately printed, bound, and shelved in bookstores. It’s easy to miss typos and formatting on screen that will shout their inconsistencies on the page. This is where the importance of book galleys comes in. 

Whether you call this version of your manuscript a book galley or a galley proof, just keep in mind that they are different terms for the same book format. 

What does a book galley look like?

Because book galleys are preliminary versions of your book and their purpose is different than even an advanced reader copy (ARC), they tend to have wide margins and may not even have a set cover.

The wide margins found in book galleys allow readers to take notes that can then be implemented into later versions of the book.

Rather than waste time and resources ensuring a standout cover and perfect interior design, galleys focus on simply getting the text on the page and into the hands of specific readers. 

What is the difference between an ARC and a galley?

An ARC, or advanced reader copy, is an almost-final version of your manuscript, while a galley is an uncorrected proof that precedes an ARC.

When I’ve worked on launch teams and been sent an ARC, they look nearly identical to the final version of the book, but are identifiable as ARCs. They may have “ARC” stamped on the cover, or fine print such as “not for individual sale,” or something similar. 

Receiving an ARC is an exciting moment. You open the packaging and see what feels like the fraternal twin version of your book. An ARC may not be completely identical to the final, but you can definitely tell they are related. 

A book galley, on the other hand, is still exciting to open but does not have the same aesthetic your final manuscript will. Briefly mentioned above, book galleys are uncorrected proofs with wide margins and little to no interior formatting. 

Those charts, graphs, and tables that help illustrate your nonfiction are missing, or those sketches of scenes and characters from your novel haven’t yet appeared on the page. 

While both ARCs and galleys are an important part of your book marketing and publishing process, book galleys come first, followed by ARCs. 

What is the difference between a book proof and galley?

While a book proof is simply a generalized term for an uncorrected proof of your manuscript, a galley is a specific term that refers to a particular type of book proof. 

A publisher could send a close-to-final Word document to the author and say, “Here is your book proof.” But a galley is often a physical copy that endorsers, editors, and the author can take notes in.

In my work as an editor, I frequently send a final Word document that contains the manuscript in its entirety, including some formatting, to the author. They forward this to the publisher, who takes it through a final proof, and on occasion, returns it to me for final, final editing. 

These digital interchanges could be considered working with a book proof, but they are not galleys. A galley is an entirely different version of the book and would be shared at an earlier date, rather than just before the manuscript goes to press. 

How can an author use their galley well?

Authors can use their galley well by embracing this aspect of the publishing process and pouring themselves into re-reading their book on the printed page. Below are a few suggestions that may help you make the most of your book galley.

Read your book from cover to cover

Yes, literally reading your book cover to cover can help you spot typos on the page that you previously missed on the screen. I often print my manuscript out as a final proof version to edit before I consider my part of the editing process complete. 

There’s just something about seeing the text in a different format that allows typos, double spaces, and missing periods to jump out at me, among other issues!

Use colored markers for edits

Another way I enjoy making use of the physical proof of my manuscript is to mark it up with colored notes. Because a galley is an uncorrected proof, you can still make some necessary changes. 

While this step isn’t necessary, you may want to track your character arcs in colors specific to your characters. For example, highlight your villain’s arc in red, protagonist in green, and supporting characters in blue. 

Color coding helps you see how much page time your characters have, as well as helps you track their character development. Sometimes adding just a few sentences to a page can strengthen a character’s arc in ways that change the impact of your book. 

Take note of white space

Readers love a great read, and part of what makes a good read great is appropriate white space. This may seem like a peripheral aspect to consider. 

Don’t most great books focus on:

• Compelling plots?
• Universal themes?
• Inspiring character arcs?
• Beautiful prose?

Of course they do! Writing is an art form, after all. But like any art form, setup matters. If your paragraphs drone on and on without ever starting fresh, you may want to create a note for your editor or designer to add a few more paragraph breaks.

They are called paragraph “breaks” for a reason. Give your reader a break by including some white space on each page. You’ll be glad you did! 

Enjoy how far you’ve come

Don’t forget to celebrate this part of your author journey. Holding a book galley means you had the idea for your book, drafted it, edited it, and are now close to publishing. You accomplished some huge steps and are so close to the finish line. Well done!